WEXFORD\u2019S 2019 LEINSTER hurling winning joint captain Matthew O\u2019Hanlon called the GAA\u2019s decision to ban co-skippers from lifting trophies \u201cnonsensical\u201d but says it\u2019s not a major issue.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hanlon and Lee Chin lifted the Bob O\u2019Keeffe Cup together two seasons ago but the Association officially ended the practice of joint captains accepting cups in official presentations at last Saturday\u2019s virtual Annual Congress.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy first instinct was, I didn\u2019t understand really where it was coming from,\u201d said O\u2019Hanlon. \u201cThere were other issues at a GAA Congress level that should be given a higher priority than that.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut in essence, it doesn\u2019t really bother me. It doesn\u2019t bother Lee. We\u2019re nominated by our peers and selected by our management to lead the team. We\u2019re still going to lead our team in that way.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a good problem to have if it comes to us having to lift a trophy and decide which one of us goes up, because it just means that we\u2019re after winning something. So we\u2019ll cross that bridge when we come to it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut yeah, overarching feeling is [it\u2019s] nonsensical. I don\u2019t really understand where it came from and why it was a big pain point for people in given counties.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut the decision is passed now. So there\u2019s no real point in complaining. We just move on with it.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
On the possibility of a joint captain missing out being in a potentially iconic picture lifting the Liam MacCarthy Cup, he responded: \u201cIt\u2019s probably not something I give a huge amount of thought to, just yet. The first point to make is, every single player and management lifts the trophy at some point when you win it anyway.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo I mean, the difference between two people lifting it together or lifting it consecutively after one another is minimum. You can have pictures of all those moments.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut yeah, I understand, it\u2019s iconic. They\u2019re the ones that will be circulating afterwards. Ultimately, it will be a good problem to have if Wexford are winning. That\u2019s my number one concern.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s me lifting the trophy or Lee or someone else on the panel. My overarching goal is that Wexford are successful. And if it comes to lifting trophies, we\u2019ll figure out who poses for the photo then.\u201d<\/p>\n
Wexford voted against the motion and chairman\u00a0Miche\u00e1l Martin says they\u2019ll be seeking clarification on the rule with Croke Park.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ll just seek clarification in context of the motion and its implications. I think Longford have indicated they\u2019ll seek deviations. Anytime we bring in a rule that deviations are required, immediately it probably means that we may need to rethink as an Association whether the motion is actually practical or not.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m principal of a primary school and at underage games joint captains have become more frequent so I think there\u2019s a degree of clarification required around how this motion is going to be implemented.\u201d<\/p>\n
Martin added, \u201cLee and Matthew received the Bob O\u2019Keeffe in 2019 and I don\u2019t think there were any issues in terms of either the reception of the trophy or the speech making afterwards.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know Kerry had Kieran O\u2019Leary and Fionn Fitzgerald (in 2014), so I\u2019m not aware of the issues. To be fair, the motion has been passed. That\u2019s democracy. We just seek clarification in terms of the implementation.\u201d<\/p>\n
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\n Shane Roche and Matthew O Hanlon pictured at the launch of Wexford GAA’s Strategic Plan.<\/p>\n
Source: Noel Reddy Photography<\/p>\n
O\u2019Hanlon and Martin were speaking at the launch of Wexford GAA\u2019s\u00a0\u20ac5m five-year strategic plan [2021-25].<\/p>\n
It\u2019s Wexford GAA\u2019s aim to have at least 15 full-time games promotion officers (GPOs) in place by 2025 while providing 75% of funding for clubs to employ them.<\/p>\n
Team USA boxing coach Billy Walsh, QPR FC coach and former London senior football manager Ciar\u00e1n Deely, Declan Browne (IT Carlow), Fionn MacPartlin (Team GB) and sprint coach Shane McCormack were involved in designing the strategy will sit on a high performance committee to oversee it\u2019s implementation.<\/p>\n
It includes plans to develop a 4G pitch in the county, in addition to further developing their centre of excellence in Ferns which will include a gym and new dressing rooms.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n